Is Social Media Angst Hindering Your Job Search Success?

Posted on 03.05.15

The easiest way to incorporate social media into your job search campaign is to begin with the channel you’re most comfortable with and use most. Now, a very important aspect to consider: make sure your online presence is professional and squeaky clean. How? Take a look and control your public online reputation, making sure that you think “professionally” when you remark, post, and even joke online. Either Google yourself regularly or set up a Google Alert so you are sent an email any time your name appears online. If you come up with some digital dirt on yourself, it’s time to scrub, scrub, and scrub some more until your public reputation is spotless.

Then start taking a look at the social media platforms that your target companies engage in most. Make sure you get your profiles set up on these channels and start contributing to the conversations there. Let people at your target companies know you’re an expert, which gets you more visibility. Where do I begin? Start conversations, write a blog or leave comments on someone else’s blog, offer advice, write an article for an industry publication, and join groups where you can give your opinions about the topics at hand.

Using vehicles like LinkedIn, Google+, Facebook, and Twitter to get your name out there and be heard by individuals who may be very interested in what you have to say, may in turn prompt them to call you in for a chat about how you can make a positive impact at their company. Don’t forget to advertise your social presence on your resume by including URLs for your LinkedIn profile, Facebook, blog site, etc.

Since the majority of recruiters and employers will recruit via your online profiles (a whopping 94%) before they ever see your resume, take the time to make your online profiles across all social media channels professional, illuminating, exciting, and personal! Get them to connect with you on an emotional level. Believe me, it pays off in spades when hiring authorities know they’re dealing with serious careerists who have values, are reliable, know their stuff, and in general get things done!